Flight Operations

The NSC flight team is skilled at stratospheric balloon operations, including: mission planning and coordination, payload integration and check-out, inflation, launch, tracking, and recovery. Having conducted over 160 stratospheric balloon flights, the team has demonstrated the ability to meet demanding project schedules and requirements. With an integrated balloon facility, NSC is uniquely able to utilize the combined experience of its engineering, production, and flight operations personnel to support high altitude/near space missions. NSC uses a variety of launch techniques and balloon systems to provide test services for a wide range of payload masses and altitudes.

Capabilities

Suspended masses up to 3,000 lbs to 130,000 ft

Mission planning

FAA coordination

Payload integration and check-out

Balloon flight operations

Mission control and telemetry

Airspace deconfliction (via tracking aircraft)

Payload recovery

Flight documentation

Nano Balloon System (NBS)

Designed for payloads with limited C3 requirements

Most economical flight vehicle

<4kg/slot, <40kg/full manifest under standard services

Small Balloon System (SBS)

NSC’s “workhorse” flight vehicle

Full payload C3 available plus dedicated payload communication system

<20 kg/slot, <40 kg/full manifest under standard services

High Altitude Shuttle System (HASS)

Unique gliding unmanned aerial system for payload return from high altitude